A Systematic Theology of Love with Thomas Jay Oord

Living with Intention | Rev. Sam Houser

In this episode of the Pastor in Training Podcast, Jeff White sits down with Rev. Sam Houser—writer, artist, and minister—for an honest conversation about faith, belonging, creativity, and the courage to embrace change. Together, they explore what it means to move beyond living on autopilot, how our understanding of God can evolve over time, and why belonging is one of our deepest spiritual needs. Sam shares insights from their journey as a writer and minister, reflecting on the role of creativity in spiritual formation, the difference between keeping the peace and making peace, and the hope they still see for the Church today. Whether you're deconstructing your faith, rebuilding it, or simply searching for a deeper, more authentic relationship with God, this conversation offers encouragement, thoughtful questions, and a reminder that faith is often found in the journey—not just the destination. In this episode, we discuss: * Living with intention instead of habit * Faith, change, and theological growth * Why belonging matters in the life of the Church * Creativity as a spiritual practice * The difference between peacekeeping and peacemaking * Hope for the future of Christianity * Encouragement for those who feel like outsiders If you enjoyed this conversation, be sure to follow the Pastor in Training Podcast, leave a rating and review, and share this episode with someone who could use a little hope today. #PastorInTraining #ProgressiveChristianity #FaithJourney #Deconstruction #Reconstruction #Belonging #ChristianPodcast #Theology #SpiritualFormation #RevSamHouser In this episode of the Pastor in Training Podcast, Jeff White sits down with Rev. Sam Houser—writer, artist, and minister—for an honest conversation about faith, belonging, creativity, and the courage to embrace change. Together, they explore what it means to move beyond living on autopilot, how our understanding of God can evolve over time, and why belonging is one of our deepest spiritual needs. Sam shares insights from their journey as a writer and minister, reflecting on the role of creativity in spiritual formation, the difference between keeping the peace and making peace, and the hope they still see for the Church today. Whether you're deconstructing your faith, rebuilding it, or simply searching for a deeper, more authentic relationship with God, this conversation offers encouragement, thoughtful questions, and a reminder that faith is often found in the journey—not just the destination. In this episode, we discuss: * Living with intention instead of habit * Faith, change, and theological growth * Why belonging matters in the life of the Church * Creativity as a spiritual practice * The difference between peacekeeping and peacemaking * Hope for the future of Christianity * Encouragement for those who feel like outsiders If you enjoyed this conversation, be sure to follow the Pastor in Training Podcast, leave a rating and review, and share this episode with someone who could use a little hope today. #PastorInTraining #ProgressiveChristianity #FaithJourney #Deconstruction #Reconstruction #Belonging #ChristianPodcast #Theology #SpiritualFormation

Faith, Freedom, and Finding Your Voice with Rev. Timoth Sylvia

What does it look like to hold onto faith when the church has made belonging feel conditional? In this episode of the Pastor In Training Podcast, Jeff White sits down with Rev. Timoth Sylvia for an honest conversation about queer faith, religious trauma, toxic theology, and the kind of church people actually need right now. Rev. Timoth shares his journey into ministry, what it has meant to live openly as a gay pastor, and why the church must move beyond surface-level inclusion. Together, they explore the difference between faith that liberates and religion that controls, Jesus’ posture toward people on the margins, and how hope survives when the work feels heavy. Rev. Timoth has built an online community through his TikTok account, @revtimoth, where he creates affirming progressive Christian content and speaks against theology that harms queer and trans people. He has also served as pastor of Newman Congregational Church, UCC, in Rumford, Rhode Island. * Rev. Timoth’s journey into faith and ministry * Becoming an openly gay pastor * The messages the church needs to repent of * Why inclusion has to be more than a rainbow logo * Faith that liberates vs. religion that controls * Jesus, belonging, and people on the margins * Pastoring people carrying religious trauma * Finding hope in a hostile political and religious climate * What the next generation deserves from the church * TikTok: @revtimoth * Search for Rev. Timoth Sylvia’s ministry content and live conversations on TikTok * Learn more about his work with Newman Congregational Church, UCC and its online ministry community. Follow Pastor In Training for conversations about faith, theology, justice, church, and the questions you may have been told not to ask. If this episode meant something to you, please rate, review, subscribe, and share it with someone who needs to hear it. You are not outside the love of God. You do not have to choose between being fully yourself and being fully loved. In This EpisodeConnect with Rev. Timoth SylviaConnect with Pastor In Training

8ers Camp 2026

On this episode of The Pastor in Training Podcast, I sit down for a minute to recap my week at 8ers Camp 2026 at Camp Gonzo at Disciple Oaks Camp and Retreat. This was an amazing experience for me and I am so glad that I said yes to the email. Had I said no they would not have been able to hold camp this year and we all would have missed out on the wonderful experiences. The highlight of my week was a moment that broke me in the best way. I was playing guitar during communion and when I was finished I went to get my communion but there was no bread left. So I walked to the back a little perturbed and one of the students noticed, got up and asked one of the other counselors for a goldfish, brought me the cup, and gave me communion at the back of the room. It was all I could do to keep a straight face and not break down in tears in front of him. As soon as he turned around I broke. One of my cocounselors walked up to me, put her arm around my shoulder and said "That's why we do this shit." I had so many good experiences there but that one was the one that made me cry the hardest. For more stories and interviews with some of your favorite content creators and authors: like, follow, and subscribe to be notified when the next episode drops. Until next time fam. Keep being, keep becoming, and keep asking the hard questions that make your pastor uncomfortable. And remember to leave it better than you found it.

From Certainty to Compassion | Rev. Fred Harrell

What happens when a pastor realizes the faith they inherited may not be the whole story? In this episode of Pastor In Training, I sit down with Rev. Fred Harrell—pastor, spiritual director, and founder of Cultivate Pastors and Churches—to talk about faith, Scripture, LGBTQ inclusion, and the courage it takes to change your mind publicly. We talk about what prompted Fred to reexamine his beliefs, how he approached the passages often used to condemn LGBTQ people, the personal and professional cost of becoming affirming, and why so many churches are afraid of difficult questions. This conversation is for anyone who is questioning, deconstructing, rebuilding, or trying to hold onto faith while becoming more honest about God, Scripture, and themselves. In this episode: * Fred’s journey into ministry * Reexamining inherited theology * LGBTQ inclusion and biblical interpretation * The cost of changing your mind publicly * Why churches fear difficult questions * What to hold onto when faith feels uncertain Connect with Rev. Fred Harrell: Website: https://www.cultivatepastors.org/ [https://www.cultivatepastors.org/] LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fredharrell/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/fredharrell/] Substack: Available through his website Instagram: @fredharrell [https://www.instagram.com/fredharrell?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==] Substack: https://open.substack.com/pub/fredharrell [https://open.substack.com/pub/fredharrell] Follow the podcast for more honest conversations about faith, doubt, theology, and the questions you were told not to ask.

A Systematic Theology of Love with Thomas Jay Oord

What if love wasn’t just one topic in theology—but the center of everything? In this episode, we sit down with theologian Thomas Jay Oord to discuss his new book A Systematic Theology of Love: God and Creation. Oord argues that if Christians truly believe “God is love,” then love should shape how we understand God, creation, evil, and the future. We talk about why love has rarely been the organizing principle of systematic theology, how Oord defines love as acting to promote the well-being of others, and why traditional ideas about divine power—especially omnipotence—often clash with a genuinely loving God. He also introduces his concept of amipotence, a vision of God’s power expressed through uncontrolling love. Along the way we explore big questions: • Why hasn’t theology centered love before? • Can a loving God coexist with suffering and evil? • What does “amipotence” mean for how we understand God’s power? • And what would change if love truly became the center of Christian theology? Whether you’re a theology nerd, a pastor, or someone rethinking faith, this conversation invites you to reconsider what it really means to say God is love